The present invention relates to a vehicle motion alarm for use with industrial vehicles.
It has long been recognized that on job sites where numerous industrial vehicles are operating, a hazardous condition is present due to the inability of workers to always sense the proximity of the vehicles and the inability of vehicle operators to see objects located in a zone close behind the vehicles.
In an attempt to somewhat alleviate the safety hazard involved, various laws have been passed by various governmental bodies which require industrial vehicles, when operated under certain conditions, to be provided with motion alarms which sound whenever the vehicles are operated in reverse.
Heretofore, it has been the practice to have this required alarm function performed either by a mechanically operated alarm designed to sound only when the vehicle moves in reverse or by electrically or electronically operated alarms which are designed to sound only when the transmission shift selector is placed in reverse or when the transmission drive shaft rotates in reverse. These known alarms all suffer the disadvantage of not sounding during accidental vehicle motion as when an unattended vehicle coasts down a hill. The mechanical alarms suffer the further disadvantage of being adversely affected by dust, mud, water and snow or the like as might be present at the working site and apt to find their way into the alarm mechanism.